TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2020
BAKER CITY HERALD — 3A
COMMUNITY
Life Flight helicopter rescues hunter after fall in tailings
The man, whose artifi cial
hip was dislocated, landed in
A Baker City man who was the water and was cold and in
duck hunting in the dredge
pain when he was loaded onto
tailings near Sumpter Sunday the helicopter about an hour
morning when he was injured after his fall, said Wes Mor-
in a fall was located by a Life
gan, Powder River Rural Fire
Flight helicopter that con-
Protection District chief.
ducted an aerial search of the
Morgan declined to identify
area before landing and taking the man, citing federal health
the man to a Boise hospital for care confi dentiality regulations.
treatment.
The victim was able to call
By Chris Collins
ccollins@bakercityherald.com
SCHOOLS
Continued from Page 1A
The requirements state that those
counties must have 30 or fewer
cases of the coronavirus in a 3-week
period. And for the last of those
weeks, the county must have fi ve or
fewer cases or record less than half
the total cases for the entire period.
During the fi rst two weeks, those
starting Sept. 20 and Sept. 27, Baker
County had 11 new cases. As of Fri-
day, Oct. 9, the county had eight new
cases for the third week. That meant
the county could record no more
than two new cases on Saturday, the
fi nal day of the third week, to meet
the standard.
The county did report two new
cases on Saturday, meaning the last
week had 10 of the total 21 cases.
The other requirement for reopen-
ing schools was an endorsement
from Dr. Eric Lamb, the county’s
public health offi cer.
In a Monday statement to the
Herald, Lamb said: “I am glad that
we are going to be able to get our
younger students back in the class-
room. The fact that we have been
able to meet the state requirements
for this fi rst stage of school reopen-
ing is a testament to the residents of
Baker County in their willingness to
his wife on his cellphone and
his wife then called the 911 dis-
patch center to summon help
about 8:55 a.m., Morgan said.
Because of a poor phone
connection, the man was not
able to provide his wife with
his location.
“There are a lot of dredge
tailing out there,” Morgan said.
For that reason, the Sheriff’s
Department’s Search and Res-
follow social distancing, face cover-
ings, hand washing, isolation and
quarantine strategies to help slow
the spread of the COVID-19 virus. I
am cautiously optimistic that if our
community continues to do their
part, that we will be able to get our
older students back in classrooms
and our economy moving forward in
a timely manner.”
“The green light was given,” Witty
said. “They were comfortable with
us moving forward.”
COVID-19 precautions will be in
place when students
return. All students
and staff will wear
face coverings, and
they will be instructed
to stay home if they
Witty
aren’t feeling well.
Students will be
screened daily for symptoms, staff
will administer a daily self screening
and visitors will be screened as well,
Witty said.
“It is critical that we follow all pro-
tocols to the best our ability,” Witty
stated. “In doing so, we will create
a safe environment for students to
learn and staff to teach.”
“I am grateful to our students and
families who have demonstrated
incredible resiliency through a
very diffi cult time,” Witty stated in
ORPHEUM
home for the regional the-
ater,” Bonebrake said.
Continued from Page 1A
To spread awareness of the
The building was most re- project, the space was open
cently occupied by Marilyn’s on most First Fridays, and
Music.
benefi ted from local fundrais-
Work immediately began
ing events.
to fi nd funding. A grant for
That all came to a halt in
asbestos abatement was
2020 when the coronavirus
awarded by the Leo Adler
pandemic hit.
Foundation in December
“Our fundraising is predi-
2016. In late 2016-2017, the
cated on making presenta-
project earned grants from
tions,” Bonebrake said.
the Oregon Community
A $16,674 grant from the
Foundation and Ford Family Oregon Cultural Trust was
Foundation to fund a feasibil- awarded to develop a patron-
ity study.
age database and narrative to
Deconstruction to the shell share with potential donors
was completed in mid-2018
— when group meetings
and the unseen work since
resume.
then has been done by ar-
“We have been diligent,
chitectural and engineering
things did happen,” Bone-
consultants.
brake said. “People believed
Eastern Oregon Regional
in us and we’re ready to move
Theatre (EORT) is the
forward.”
nonprofi t fi scal agent for the
The project is entering
Baker Orpheum, which will
Phase 5, a $208,000 phase for
become the theater’s perma- structural upgrades to accom-
nent home.
modate theater fl yloft weights
“EORT’s mission from day and balcony construction. The
one was to fi nd a permanent remaining three phases of the
cue Team had been activated,
but the volunteers were called
off after Life Flight was able to
fi nd the man from the air.
“They’re more than willing
to do that,” Morgan said of the
helicopter’s search efforts. “Life
Flight is a great outfi t to work
with. They love to fl y.”
The Life Flight crew led
other members of the rescue
squad to the victim, who was
the press release. “We must work
together to minimize any exposure
to COVID–19 if we are to maintain
in-person school. This can only be
accomplished through serving each
other by taking appropriate steps to
minimize the spread of COVID–19.”
Now that the elementary students
are returning to their classrooms,
it will be the schools’ obligation to
control the coronavirus in their
buildings.
“The better we can do to keep the
number of cases down, the better
chance we have of staying in school,”
Witty said.
There will be no school for the
preschool through sixth-grade stu-
dents today as teachers and other
staff prepare their classrooms for
in-person instruction. The employees
also will spend the day reviewing
safety protocols and making sure the
necessary instructional materials are
in place.
Witty said he had received just a
few emails Monday morning seeking
clarifi cation of various issues. Overall,
there was general excitement about
returning the younger students to in-
person classes for the fi rst time since
mid-March.
“Our goal is to stay in school and to
be here for the remainder of the year,”
he said Monday morning.
$2.2 million theater project
include trim of interior spaces
including lobby, balcony, stairs
and marquee construction,
and equipment (including
seats).
The Baker Orpheum The-
ater will have several uses
in addition to being home for
EORT. It will also provide a
space for local performing
arts groups.
“Like our local choirs, and
the local orchestra,” Bone-
brake said.
It will be available to rent
for large gatherings, and
provide a performance space
for traveling artists.
Bonebrake said Burris, in
addition to purchasing the
building, has set up a fund
with the Oregon Community
Foundation to underwrite
the cost of nationally known
artists to keep ticket prices af-
fordable for local residents.
Funding sources
To date, the Baker Or-
pheum project has received
As the younger children return to
all-day, in-person classes, Witty said
the District will continue to look for
ways that would allow middle school
and high school students to return to
in-person classes.
That is not possible now because
of the state’s “Ready Schools Safe
Learners” requirement that limits
student interactions to no more than
50 people per week.
Because elementary students meet
in self-contained classrooms, that goal
can be achieved for them. The older
students, who rotate through classes
and have contact with as many as
100 people per week, can’t meet that
goal at this time.
Now that county metrics for
in-person classes have been met for
the younger students, however, the
District might be allowed to provide
more in-person instruction for the up-
per grade levels as well, starting with
middle school students, Witty said.
Administrators will present a plan
to the Baker School Board for possi-
bly returning seventh- and eighth-
graders to a system of in-person and
hybrid classes. That would probably
mean in-person sessions for one day
per week for student cohort groups,
rotating them through a hybrid
model that would keep each cohort at
home receiving classes over the Zoom
more than $530,000. Of that
amount, nearly $291,000 has
come from local individuals
and event donations.
“The local support we’ve
received is astounding,” Bone-
brake said.
The remaining funds were
grant awards from founda-
tions, including the Oregon
Community Foundation, Ford
Family Foundation, Leo Adler
Foundation, Sunderland
Foundation, Oregon Cul-
tural Trust, National Historic
Preservation Trust, Autzen
Foundation, Buerkel-Zoellner
Fund, Kinsman Foundation,
Travel Oregon, Reser Fam-
ily Fund, and Union Pacifi c
Community Fund.
Contact
Donations to the Baker
Orpheum can be made in
care of Aletha Bonebrake,
2490 Baker St., Baker City,
OR 97814.
Those who would like more
information about the project
can call her at 541-519-3255.
N EWS OF R ECORD
DEATHS
Gordon Schroeder: 85, of
Baker City, died Oct. 12, 2020, at
home surrounded by his family.
Arrangements are under the
direction of Tami’s Pine Valley
Funeral Home & Cremation Ser-
vices. Online condolences may
be made at www.tamispine
valleyfuneralhome.com
FUNERALS PENDING
Jan Haga: A memorial
service and celebration of his life
will take place Friday, Oct. 16, at
1 p.m. at Harvest Church, 3720
Birch St. in Baker City. COVID-19
precautions will be in place, and
people attending should bring a
mask and follow social distanc-
ing requirements. The fam-
ily suggests donations in Jan’s
memory be made to Harvest
Church through Tami’s Pine Val-
ley Funeral Home & Cremation
Services, P.O. Box 543, Halfway,
OR 97834. Online condolences
can be made at www.tamispine
valleyfuneralhome.com
Nancy Denson: A celebra-
tion of her life will take place
Saturday, Oct. 17, at 3 p.m. at
St. Therese Catholic Church in
Halfway with Father Telagani of-
fi ciating. Should there be inclem-
ent weather, the celebration will
move to the Lions Club pavilion
in the park. Due to COVID-19
restrictions, please bring a chair,
your mask and remember social
distancing. An online virtual
service will take place later, with
the time to be announced.
Remembrances can be made
to St. Elizabeth Seton School or
the Pine Valley Fair Association
though Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral
Home & Cremation Services, P.O.
Box 543, Halfway, OR 97834. On-
line condolences can be made at
www.tamispinevalleyfuneral
home.com
POLICE LOG
Baker City Police
Arrests, citations
BAKER COUNTY CIRCUIT
COURT WARRANTS, SECOND-
DEGREE THEFT (two counts) and
NEGOTIATING A BAD CHECK
(four counts): Alexander Allen
Adams, 24, of 2375 Campbell
St., 6:05 p.m. Sunday, on David
Eccles Road; jailed.
FOURTH-DEGREE DOMES-
TIC ASSAULT: Johnathon Dale
Fields, 33, of 1738 1/2 Valley Ave.,
4:16 p.m. Saturday, at his home;
jailed.
SECOND-DEGREE CRIMINAL
TRESPASSING: Timothy Kelly
Slaney, 31, of Baker City, 11:19
a.m. Friday, at Albertsons, 1120
Campbell Street; cited and
released. Slaney was cited a
second time on a charge of
second-degree criminal trespass-
ing at 12:37 p.m. Friday at 10th
and Broadway streets.
POSSESSION OF A CON-
TROLLED SUBSTANCE (Wash-
ington State warrant): Thomas
Anthony Crews, 27, of Baker City,
2:39 p.m. Friday, in the 700 block
of Campbell Street; jailed.
DRIVING WHILE OPERATOR’S
LICENSE SUSPENDED OR RE-
VOKED: James Robert Hensen,
33, of 3440 Ninth St., 11:18 p.m.
loaded on a gurney and placed
aboard the helicopter. He was
treated in Boise and had been
released home and was doing
well, Morgan said Monday
morning.
In addition to the Baker City
ambulance and Life Flight
crews, Morgan said volunteers
turned out from his depart-
ment, the Sumpter Volunteer
Fire Department and the
Friday, in the 500 block of Camp-
bell Street; cited and released.
Baker County Sheriff’s
Offi ce
Arrests, citations
PROVIDING FALSE INFORMA-
TION TO A POLICE OFFICER and
RECKLESS ENDANGERING OF
ANOTHER PERSON: Derek Frank
Navarro, 28, of Ogden, Utah,
1:07 a.m. Sunday, on Interstate
84 at Baker City; cited and
released.
HARASSMENT (Baker County
Circuit Court warrant): Richard
Eugene Cummings, 77, of Hun-
tington, 6:32 p.m. Sunday, on
Old Oregon Trail Road; cited and
released.
FAILURE TO APPEAR (Baker
County warrant): Shebb Robert
Bassman, 32, of Baker City, 3:11
p.m. Friday, at the Sheriff’s Of-
fi ce; booked and released.
Sumpter Valley Railroad to
help with the rescue.
The tailings are piles of rock
and gravel left by dredges that
plied the Sumpter Valley for
gold from 1913 to 1954. The
tailing piles, some of which are
surrounded by ponds, extend
for several hundred acres
south of Highway 7 and east of
Phillips Reservoir.
computer app the other three days
per week, Witty said.
“One day out of four is the only way
to make that feasible,” he said.
The discussion will take place dur-
ing a Zoom Board meeting that be-
gins at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15. More
information is available by calling
the District Offi ce at 541-524-2260.
At the high school level, the state
must raise the number of contacts
students are allowed per week to
make a return to in-person instruc-
tion feasible for them, Witty said.
In the meantime, administra-
tors and classroom teachers will be
providing families of elementary age
students more information about
schedules and other details specifi c
to each building through Par-
entSquare as their children prepare
to return to their classrooms on
Wednesday.
Witty said as in-person classes
resume, the ability to continue in
that setting will be less dependent on
county numbers and more depen-
dent on each school’s ability to keep
the student cohort groups and staff
healthy.
If a student tests positive, Baker
County Health Department staff will
conduct an interview and identify
people who might have been in close
contact.
COUNCIL
Continued from Page 1A
The proposed new deal that councilors will consider
this evening is a 5-year contract starting Jan. 1, 2021.
The contract includes a provision that the 5-year term
will automatically be renewed each year unless either
the city or the contractor declines to do so. This rollover
clause would maintain the contract as a 5-year deal
perpetually.
The proposed contract calls for the contractor to pay
the city an annual rental fee of $5,500. The amount
would increase, to an amount to be negotiated, starting
in January 2026.
In other business Tuesday:
• Councilors will meet in an executive session (closed
to the public) at 6:15 p.m. to discuss the recruitment of
a new city manager to replace Fred Warner Jr., who is
retiring at the end of the year.
Councilors interviewed fi ve candidates last week; the
city did not announce their names, citing the potential
to affect their current jobs. Mayor Loran Joseph said he
expects the Council during this evening’s meeting will an-
nounce the names of two, three or four fi nalists whom the
Council will invite to Baker City to meet with residents
and tour the city. This would happen after the Nov. 3 elec-
tion. That would allow the fi nalists to also meet the newly
elected councilors. Six of the seven seats on the Council
are on the ballot, and among the 13 candidates for those
seats are three incumbents. As few as one of the current
councilors, and as many as four, will remain on the Coun-
cil when it meets for the fi rst time in January 2021.
• Councilors will resume a discussion about options
for dealing with properties that violate the city’s property
maintenance ordinance.
Police Chief Ray Duman told councilors in Septem-
ber that the estimated cost to clean up eight properties,
for which the city has active abatement orders from
the Baker County Justice Court, would exceed by at
least several times the $6,000 the city budgets annu-
ally for such purposes.
Among the options councilors will discuss Tues-
day are passing an ordinance requiring all habitable
properties to be connected to an approved water and
sewer system (either the city’s system or a verifi ed well
and septic system), creating a committee to look into the
underlying issues leading to the maintenance violations,
and allocating more money — $50,000 or more annually
— to clean up properties.
Fall is here!
Cold weather can
mean icy spots in
shaded areas!
• Lumber
• Plywood
• Building Materials
• Hardware
• Paint
• Plumbing
• Electrical
And much more!
Jay & Kristin Wilson, Owners
2036 Main Street, Baker City
541-523-6284 • ccb#219615
3205 10th Street
Baker City
541-523-4422
2390 Broadway, Baker City
541-523-5223
Mon-Fri 7:30 am - 5:30 pm
Saturday 8 am - 5 pm
Closed Sun